FARGO - Minnesota Vikings fans in the Fargo-Moorhead or Grand Forks viewing areas might want to make alternate plans if they hope to watch tonight's game against the New York Giants from the comfort of their living rooms.
Jim Shaw, news director for Fargo's KVRR-TV (Channel 10 in Grand Forks), said broadcasting tonight's game was "doubtful" as of 10:40 a.m.
As it stands now, the station, the local FOX affiliate which carries Vikings games, hasn't convinced the National Football League to allow broadcast of the game in the F-M area. One of the big sticking points is KVRR-TV's license is based in North Dakota and not Minnesota.
"The bottom line is because we're not a Minnesota-based station, we're not looking like we're going to get the game sent to us," Shaw said this morning.
"We're still working on it," he said. "There's a chance that could change, but the word going around the building right now is doubtful."
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The game was moved to tonight due to this past weekend's severe weather in the Twin Cities. After the Metrodome's roof collapsed early Sunday, the game's venue was moved to Detroit's Ford Field.
Another hurdle for KVRR is the NFL's contract with ESPN, which normally broadcasts Monday Night Football games. ESPN pays for broadcast rights with the expectation that there won't be competing games on another station, Shaw said.
While the NFL is allowing Minnesota and New York markets to broadcast the Vikings-Giants game, the North Dakota-based station, despite its signal stretching into Minnesota, has been unable to convince league officials to allow the broadcast here.
Shaw said his station has already received dozens of calls inquiring about the Vikings game.
"It's not our decision," he said. "If it was our decision, we'd run it.
"I'm not feeling too optimistic about this... We all think it's a shame. And we all think it's a not a just decision. By definition, we are a Minnesota Vikings station."
Currently, Vikings fans have a couple options to watch the game: watch it on a Minnesota-based FOX affiliate or access the satellite feed through DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket, which is available by purchase through the satellite provider. Several local restaurants and sports bars also have NFL Sunday Ticket subscriptions.
The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead and the Herald are both Forum Communications Co. newspapers.
